The actions of The Runner –running, jumping, pivoting and overcoming obstacles– reflects the insatiable quest of the human’s spirit to energetically go forward, and illuminates the looming sense of uncertainty that our digital future holds. As such, it is a metaphor for the blend of today’s contemporary culture and the digital revolution.

The runner represents the incessant activity that the digital world produces at all times, a constant flight forward, while looking for the logic in our future and the advance in technology itself. The public’s active participation in the installation becomes part of this unstoppable race forward. A unique selfie photo booth also invites viewers to place their image on the large window display, surround them by fantastic effects and incorporate them within the artwork.

This featured presentation was created by digital media artist and researcher Soliman Lopez, currently the director of the I+D+i Department in ESAT (Escuela Superior de Arte y Tecnología de Valencia) in Valencia, Spain. The artist creates digital art, performances, interactive and multimedia pieces, investigating the social changes that are the result of the technological revolution paradigm, and the new language proposed by the digital debate itself. This prolific artist has shown his work in the last three years in the U.K., France, Spain, Argentina, Brazil and Germany.

Ismael Castellanos from ESAT University in Valencia collaborates on the interaction, and the interactivity activation is provided by interactive developer Karan Parikh. Noirflux implements the responsive art environment system for immersive exploration.

At the edge of new digital frontiers, Coolture Impact is an incubator that explores and exploits new technologies, art content and social interaction. It creates a new paradigm in storytelling, where digital art is activated by, and exposed to, a large audience. Viewers are invited to experience and interact with art in a personal and exciting way to become an intrinsic part of the soulful artworks of our talented, featured artists.

Ana Calvo de Luis, the driving force behind the platform, explains: “This unique project is possible thanks to the generous support of the PABT managers and the companies and artists that believe in creating collaborative art. We´ve focused on creating a dynamic, interactive, content driven, social platform that positively impacts on how we interact and communicate.”(spainculture.us press-release)